OWN (UP) Synonyms: 13 Similar and Opposite Words

own (up)

verb

Definition of own (up)

as in to confess

to make an acknowledgment of something unpleasant as true or valid had a strong suspicion about which coworker stole her food from the office fridge, but the likely culprit refused to own up

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for own (up)

Verb

When his young son is ostensibly abducted for ransom on Halloween night, Mark must confess his financial ruin to his therapist wife, Abigail (Washington), who has actually been having an ongoing affair with a coworker.

— Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Sounds like a good job for a ghost, driving guilty parties to confess.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of confess

Verb

The hospital where Asho was being treated admitted 152 children with severe acute malnutrition in August, four of whom died, Jubbaland Health Minister Ismail Garas said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
On Sunday, there was no obvious sign that the pope had already been admitted.

— Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of admit

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Own (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/own%20%28up%29. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of own (up)

verb

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